Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Irish ports are at various stages of development in advancing renewable energy, RE, infrastructural projects. It is only when the respective business cases are completed that any funding gap can then be identified. Ensuring developers and ports collaborate is of paramount importance. Current Government policy is that Irish ports receive no Exchequer funding, with the State only stepping in when there is evidence of market failure. This is in line with Article 107(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Evidence to suggest there will be market failure, with regard to the development of RE infrastructure in Irish ports, has not yet been established.

NewERA is assessing the RE development plans of Irish ports and the capacity to fund these plans. Once full business cases have been received from ports, NewERA will be in a position to determine the commercial viability of these projects and consider whether State intervention is required. That is the pathway for deciding on whether State funding will be required but we have to-----

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